he Paris Agreement is an international treaty aimed at addressing climate change and its impacts. It was adopted on December 12, 2015, at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Paris, France. The agreement entered into force on November 4, 2016, and has since been signed and ratified by a large number of countries.
Key components and goals of the Paris Agreement include:
Limiting Global Warming: The primary objective of the Paris Agreement is to limit the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels, with an aspirational goal of limiting it to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This is in recognition of the severe impacts that even a 2-degree increase could have on the environment and vulnerable communities.
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): Each participating country is required to submit its own voluntary emissions reduction targets and plans, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). These targets are expected to reflect the country's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. NDCs are updated every five years to enhance ambition.
Transparency and Accountability: The Paris Agreement emphasizes transparency and accountability in reporting emissions and progress toward NDCs. There are guidelines and reporting mechanisms in place to ensure that countries are meeting their commitments.
Finance: Developed countries commit to providing financial support to developing countries to help them mitigate and adapt to climate change. This includes both public funding and support for private sector investments in clean technologies and climate-resilient infrastructure.
Technology Transfer: The agreement promotes the transfer of clean and sustainable technologies to developing countries to help them transition to a low-carbon economy.
Loss and Damage: The Paris Agreement acknowledges the importance of addressing loss and damage associated with the impacts of climate change, particularly in vulnerable and developing nations. This includes support for disaster risk reduction and insurance mechanisms.
Global Stocktake: A global stocktake of collective progress toward the agreement's goals is conducted every five years to assess whether countries' efforts are sufficient and whether more ambitious action is needed.
Long-Term Goal: The Paris Agreement sets a long-term goal for global emissions to reach a balance between sources and sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century. This essentially implies achieving net-zero emissions.
Adaptation: The agreement recognizes the importance of adaptation to climate change and calls for increased efforts to enhance adaptive capacity and resilience, particularly in vulnerable regions.
The Paris Agreement is considered a landmark achievement in global climate diplomacy, as it brought together virtually all countries in a shared commitment to combat climate change. Its flexible and bottom-up approach allows countries to tailor their climate actions to their specific circumstances and capabilities while providing a framework for global collaboration.
It's important to note that the success of the Paris Agreement depends on countries' collective efforts to fulfill their commitments, increase ambition over time, and work together to address the pressing challenges of climate change. Since its adoption, there have been subsequent COP meetings and negotiations to further refine and implement the agreement.